Background: Regarding the significance of neonate weight estimate and certain complications due to inaccuracy in estimation and controversy over use of sonography or clinical techniques, this study was carried out on clients referring to Booali hospital in Tehran during the years 2003-2004. Materials and Methods: The Study was a cross-sectional research performed on 300 qualified pregnant women (Over 38 weeks of pregnancy). Estimation of fetal weight through clinical method was done using fundal height and standard measurement, while estimation of fetal weight through sonography was carried out by the physician using head and abdominal circumference, femur length and the corresponding formula. The cases were then followed up and their weights at birth were measured precisely. Acceptable estimates for values were 10% ± real weight and 200 gr± real weight at birth for each method. The data were analyzed through and Fisher’s exact test. Results: The research was carried out on 300 qualified pregnant women in the age range of 26 ± 5.4 and pregnancy age of 39.3±1.1 weeks and body mass index (BMI) of 24 kg/m2. Real body weight of neonates at birth was 3229 gr ± 416.7 with 3.7% over 4000 gr, 2% under 2500 gr and the rest between 2500 gr to 4000 gr. In clinical method 74.6% and in sonography 89.3% of estimates were acceptable based on the scale of 10% ± real weight (P=0.0005). The above mentioned methods with the scale of 200 real weight were acceptable as 51.6% and 78.3% respectively (P=0.0005). Weight estimate by sonography in neonates under 4000 gr was preferable to clinical method while estimate by clinical method was more accurate in neonates over 4000 gr. (P=0.0005) Conclusion: Concerning the extent of accuracy, some adverse effects, cost and time consumed to estimated weight in sonography it would be advisable to use clinical method under normal cricumstances and sonography in some certain situations.

Background and Objective: Trace elements have been documented to play an important role in the determination of fetal outcome. It has been reported that the pregnant women in developing countries consume diets with a lower amounts of minerals and vitamins. Zinc is an essential trace element and its deficiency can lead to a variety of disorders. Materials and Methods: This case-control study was carried out at Alavi hospital in Ardabil (Iran) from August 2008- August 2009. Fifty six women who had delivered low- birth- weight infants (<2500gr) were taken as the case group and 56 women with infants with normal birth weight (≥2500gr) were selected as the control group. Venous blood sample were obtained from the mothers. Serum zinc level was determined by the atomic absorption spectrophotometer method. Results: Mean of birth weight in infants, maternal age, body mass index in mothers and socioeconomic or demographic factors did not differ between case and control groups. Maternal zinc concentration did not differ between Cases and Controls 55.84 ± 14.40 μg/dl vs.52.16 ± 8.84 μg/dl respectively. Conclusion: Results of this study showed that maternal zinc concentration has no impact on neonatal birth weight deliveries.

Background and Objective: Available information suggests that pregnant women infected with Trichomonas vaginalis may be at increased risk of preterm delivery and low birth weight (LBW). This study evaluated the association between T. vaginalis infection and the risk of LBW.
Materials and Methods: In this cohort study, we evaluated 1000 pregnant women (gestational age ≥ 28 weeks) for trichomoniasis by using direct and culture methods at the time of delivery at two hospitals of Zanjan, Iran. All the infected women (33 cases) and non-infected women (107) who had been selected with purposive quota sampling were compared with each other. Questionnaires were used to collect demographic and obstetric parameters. Consequently, infants' weights were recorded using mothers’ files.
Results: The prevalence of T. vaginalis infection was 3.3% (33 cases). Mean gestational age of the infected women at the time of delivery was significantly less than the non-infected (36.5±4.5 weeks vs. 39±1.9 weeks; P= 0.009). Higher parity, and living in city were significantly associated with the increased risk of vaginal trichomoniasis (P< 0.05). No significant association was found between the T. vaginalis infection and degree of education, type of delivery, family income, and frequency of LBW.

Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that, T. vaginalis infection may be associated with low gestational age and higher parity at the time of delivery. However, no significant association was found between the T. vaginalis infection and LBW in the third trimester of pregnancy.

Background & Objective: Low birth weight is considered as one the causes of infant mortality across the world. Accordingly, paying attention to neonatal growth leads to mortality rate decrement and consequently prevents future physical and mental disabilities in this age group.
 Materials & Methods: This historic (retrospective) cohort study was conducted on 280 one-year-old male and female infants who were divided into two equal groups of low and normal birth weights. Then, the developmental status of the neonates at the corrected age of one year was assessed using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ). Data analysis was performed using SPSS 19 via t-test and multiple regression analysis.
Results: Of the 280 infants examined, 142 (50.7%) of them were male and 138 (49.3%) were female with the mean weight of 640.9±2696.9 gr, and the mean gestational age of 37.8±2.4 weeks. Moreover, the findings revealed that the gross motor skills and the problem-solving areas had the highest levels of developmental delay in the subjects. In addition, a significant relationship was observed between the developmental delay of the neonates in different areas and the variables of birth weight, birth height, birth rate, duration of hospitalization in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), and some causes of neonatal hospitalization (P<0.05).
Conclusion: According to the results, health policymakers were recommended to pay much more attention to the assessment of the developmental status of low-weight neonates for timely diagnosis and treatment as well as the education of health care providers and parents.

Background and Objective: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune-driven chronic systemic inflammatory disease. It could result in miscarriage, pre-eclampsia, and preterm labor, among other unfavorable pregnancy outcomes. Thus, this study was conducted to investigate the adverse pregnancy outcomes in pregnant women with RA.
Materials and Methods: Two cohorts of pregnant women with and without RA referred to the Ayatollah Mousavi Hospital's Gynecology and Obstetrics Clinic in Zanjan, Iran, during 2019-2020 were enrolled in a retrospective matched cohort study. Using their medical records, each participant completed a checklist of study variables. We used binary Logistic regression, chi-square test, Analysis of Variance, and independent samples t-test to analyze data using SPSS v.23.
Results: The study included 280 pregnant women. The mean age of the RA and control group (pregnant women without RA) was 32.4 ± 6.6 and 29.5 ± 6.7 years, respectively. The most prevalent adverse outcome was spontaneous abortion (54, 19.28%), which was significantly higher in the RA group (25% vs. 13.6%, P= 0.015). Cesarean section (24.3% vs. 10.7%, P= 0.003) and low birth weight (LBW) were both significantly higher in the RA group (15% vs. 5%, P= 0.005). RA increased the probability of spontaneous abortion, cesarean section, and LBW by more than 1.3 (odds ratio, 1.38; 95% CI, 0.45-5.46; P= 0.017), 2.2 (odds ratio, 2.24; 95% CI, 1.29-6.54; P =0.004), and 2.6 (odds ratio, 2.67; 95% CI, 1.86-7.05; P= 0.008) times, respectively.
Conclusion: Pregnant women with RA are more likely to experience spontaneous abortion, cesarean section, and having LBW infants comparing to pregnant women without RA.